Mexico Gunman Julio César Jasso Ramírez Kills Canadian Tourist, Injures 13 at Teotihuacán

A lone gunman opened fire on tourists atop the Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site about an hour from Mexico City, less than two months before the FIFA World Cup.

“Mexico’s government says it is beefing up security at tourist sites after a man opened fire on tourists at pyramids outside Mexico City less than two months before the FIFA World Cup”

Al Jazeera

Multiple outlets reported that the attack killed one Canadian tourist and injured others, with figures varying by outlet: NPR said it killed one Canadian tourist and injured a dozen more, while Al Jazeera said it killed one Canadian tourist and injured 13 others.

Al Jazeera

The BBC reported that a Canadian woman was killed and 13 others were injured, and it described the gunman as Julio César Jasso Ramírez, 27, who carried a handgun, dozens of cartridges, a knife and literature referencing acts of violence.

The BBC also said the gunman fatally shot himself after a standoff with police, and it reported that the site was closed in the wake of the shooting.

Euronews said the shooting “wasn’t spontaneous,” and it reported that the shooter made preliminary visits, stayed in hotels near the site ahead of time, and planned his violent acts.

In addition to the reported casualties, the BBC said thirteen people, ranging from six to 61, were treated in hospital after being injured in the incident, and it added that seven were wounded by gunshots.

The AFP-linked report said the gunman killed himself after opening fire at the heavily visited destination and that the shooting occurred on the Pyramid of the Moon, a 45-meter monument visitors are allowed to climb using steep steps carved of volcanic rock.

In the immediate aftermath, Mexico’s government announced a major security response at tourist sites, framing it as a direct reaction to the Teotihuacan attack ahead of the World Cup.

NPR said Mexico’s government “said it was beefing up security at tourist sites” after the shooting, and it described the incident as occurring less than two months before the FIFA World Cup.

AP News

Al Jazeera reported that Mexican Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said security forces had been ordered to “immediately strengthen security” at archaeological sites and key tourist destinations across the country.

The BBC added that Sheinbaum noted there are “no security checkpoints at archaeological sites” and ordered strengthened security, including the installation of metal detectors at the entrances of Teotihuacán and other sites.

Multiple outlets described the scale of the broader World Cup security plan, including a deployment of 100,000 security personnel across the country, concentrated in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

The Independent reported that Omar García Harfuch announced security forces were instructed to “immediately strengthen security” and that the plan would involve increasing the presence of the Mexican National Guard, enhancing security checks, and fortifying surveillance systems to “identify and prevent any threats.”

The BBC also reported that Teotihuacán would reopen on Wednesday with reinforced security, after being closed in the wake of the shooting.

President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged that Teotihuacán lacked security filters to prevent the attack, and she described the shooting as unprecedented in that kind of public space.

“Mexico officials say Teotihuacán gunman carried material related to US mass shooting The gunman who opened fire atop Mexico's ancient Pyramid of the Moon appeared to have been influenced by other violent shootings and showed signs of psychological problems, the country's president said on Tuesday”

BBC

The Independent reported that on Tuesday Sheinbaum described the shooting as “an isolated incident”, acknowledging that the archaeological site lacked adequate security filters, and it said she noted such an event had not previously occurred in such a public space.

Al Jazeera similarly quoted Sheinbaum saying the shooting “was an isolated incident” that had not occurred before in such a public space.

Sheinbaum also linked the attacker’s motivation to “outside influences,” specifically referencing the 1999 Columbine massacre in Colorado, and The Independent quoted her saying the shooter appeared to be influenced by “outside influences”.

NPR also reported that Sheinbaum said the shooter appeared to be motivated by “outside influences,” particularly the 1999 Columbine massacre in Colorado.

The BBC provided additional detail about what authorities said they found, including that the gunman carried documents that apparently referenced the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and that José Luis Cervantes Martínez said the gunman planned and carried out the attack alone.

Euronews reported that Sheinbaum urged tighter gun controls at tourist sites, saying, “We need to have better security to make sure someone can't enter an archaeological site, a tourist site, with a firearm.”

Mexican authorities and prosecutors described the attack as planned and carried out alone, and they tied the gunman’s materials to violence abroad.

The BBC said Mexico’s top prosecutor said Jasso Ramírez planned and carried out the attack alone, and it reported that the gunman carried documents that apparently referenced the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in the US.

CityNews Vancouver

José Luis Cervantes Martínez, attorney general of the State of Mexico, told reporters that among the gunman’s belongings authorities found “literature, images and documents allegedly related to acts of violence that ... may have occurred in the United States in April 1999,” according to the BBC.

The BBC also reported that Cervantes Martínez said the gunman repeatedly visited the archaeological site about 50km (31 miles) from Mexico City and arrived there on Monday just before noon local time.

Euronews said the shooter, identified as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, “made preliminary visits on multiple occasions to the archaeological site, stayed in hotels near the site ahead of time, and from there planned his violent acts.”

CityNews Vancouver reported that the Mexican government said Tuesday it was a planned shooting and that Cervantes Martínez said the gunman carried a tactical-style backpack and had literature related to the deadly 1999 Columbine High School shooting.

The BBC described the immediate police response, saying a National Guard member and a municipal police officer scaled the pyramid to corner him, and it reported that the gunman fired 14 times at the victims and the responding officers.

International officials and outlets framed the shooting through the lens of safety ahead of the World Cup, while also emphasizing different aspects of the incident.

“Devdiscourse News Desk| Mexicocity In response to a shooting that shocked tourists at Mexico's Teotihuacan pyramids, the Mexican government has announced a significant increase in security measures at key tourist locations ahead of the FIFA World Cup”

Devdiscourse

CityNews Vancouver reported that in Ottawa Prime Minister Mark Carney thanked Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for her attention to the tragedy and said, “It’s a sad day … it’s a terrible circumstance,” while also saying, “We’re working with Mexican authorities on the situation.”

Devdiscourse

It also quoted Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand saying, “Our consular officials are on the ground assisting the remaining victims, and in particular the Canadians who are in Mexico,” and it reported that Anand said Ottawa and Mexico were in close contact while “examining all issues relating to the bilateral relationship.”

The BBC described the gunman’s materials and the investigation, while NPR and The Independent focused more on the security response and the political questions posed to Sheinbaum.

The Independent quoted Mexican security analyst David Saucedo saying, “Events like this only further magnify the negative images that Mexico has on security issues, undermining the narrative that President Sheinbaum is trying to build that Mexico is a safe country.”

South China Morning Post similarly said the shooting “threatens Mexico’s image of safety” and described Mexico’s efforts to project safety ahead of the FIFA tournament after a surge of cartel violence in February in Guadalajara.

The BBC added a specific World Cup kickoff date, saying the tournament “kicks off on 11 June in Mexico City,” and it reported that Sheinbaum met with organisers at FIFA to discuss logistics.